Can We Prevent Another Columbine? An overflow crowd of educators, social scientists, students and other specialists poured into UHD’s Wilhelmina Cullen Robertson Auditorium in April to hear social psychologist and author Dr. Elliot Aronson at the annual Social Science Alumni Lecture.
Women’s Month A group of women from Denmark added an international perspective to UHD’s annual Women’s Month celebration. They are part of a collaborative group called “Women in the Visual and Literary Arts” who have published two books: A Given Life and Periods. The women range in age from 27 to 54 and even included a mother and daughter. Their vocations are also varied: lawyer, minister/teacher, health care provider, photographer and graphic artist. The visiting experts led three panels for UHD audiences and helped wrap the month’s activities. Above, from left to right: Ida Hoeck, Lisbet Müller, Anne Moller, Gine Jarner, Sisse Jarner and Pia Deleuran. Dr. JoAnn Pavletich and Dr. Jane Creighton, both assistant professors of English, chaired the Women’s Month Committee.
An internationally recognized expert on the prevention of adolescent violence, Dr. Aronson wrote Nobody Left to Hate: Teaching Compassion After Columbine. “Dr. Aronson’s lecture is a good example of how relevant research is to social progress,” said Dr. Linda Vaden-Goad, chair of UHD’s Department of Social Sciences. “In describing his career path and how research works for positive change, he addressed how
social scientists sometimes don’t see immediate results from the research they conduct. His work, however, proves that diligence can result in social good.” Dr. Aronson’s research highlighted the need for disenfranchised high school students to feel human respect in order to prosper and learn, an issue highlighted by the school shooting tragedy in Columbine, Colorado. The UHD Department of Social Sciences includes seven academic areas: anthropology, geography, history, philosophy, political science, psychology and sociology.
Diversity in Philanthropy
Well-equipped, Thanks to the Army
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tudents who use a UHD science laboratory have access to additional state-ofthe-art equipment. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory donated $144,000 in laser lab equipment that will become the core of a
laser spectroscopy laboratory being developed by Dr. Larry Merkle, assistant professor of physics. The lab will provide one of the many opportunities for undergraduate research offered by UHD.
The national Council on Foundations’ Committee on Inclusiveness chose UHD as the site for a gathering chaired by Rosie Zamora with Telesurveys Research Associates (pictured below, center), a member of UHD’s President’s Advisory Council. Flanking Zamora are (left) UHD President Max Castillo and Milton Carroll, chairman of Houston Endowment, Inc. The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations.
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manager of Public Affairs and David L. Mendez, vice chairman, both with J.P. Morgan Chase in Houston. Enthusiastic members of the ball committee included Stanford
Foods, Inc.; Larry Jones, Deloitte & Touche, L.L.P.; Hamilton Lewis, Hamilton Lewis Capital Management, Inc.; Terrylin Neale, University of Houston Foundation; Jim Niederle, Banc of America Securities; Elijio Serrano, Eagle Global Logistics; Bill Swanstrom, Locke, Liddell & Sapp; and Cesar Vasquez, Petro Amigos Supply, Inc. The centerpiece of the ball is a presentation of the deserving students who are recipients of the Red Rose Scholarship. In addition to highlighting their accomplishments, this year the ball featured a celebration of history.
David L. Mendez and Yolanda F. Londoño
Alexander, Weingarten Realty Investors; Jenard Gross, Gross Investments; Joe Hafner, Riviana
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Ricky, Sr., directs the Ricky Diaz Orchestra, which provided entertainment for the ball for a number of years.
Those who attend the ball leave on a high note. Eugene Vaughan, with Vaughan, Nelson, Scarborough & McCullough, L.P., The event was founded in 1981 by members of the Latin American wrote, “It was pure joy to participate in the 20th Red Rose Student Service Organization (LASSO). Three brothers who were Ball!...the presentation of the attending the university at the time, Red Rose Scholars was simply soaring.” Armando, Albert and Ricky (Jr.) Diaz, recruited their parents to help The scholars represented the specorganize the event. Their father, trum of UHD students, and all will
make good use of the financial support. For example, Claudia Castillo, who maintains a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a computer information systems major, says, “I will be able to remain in school as a full-time student...worrying myself only about my studies and not about next semester’s expenses.” Scholars were chosen on the basis of academic performance and other factors that include their service to the community.